Verizon announces 911 texting service, will launch in 2013

Back in 2010, the FCC announced its intention to allow for texting to emergency services, but so far it does not appear that anything official has been announced. Either way it looks like Verizon has taken charge and has announced its plans to allow for texting to 911. Working with TeleCommunication Systems, the carrier is hoping to enable the texting of messages to emergency call centers as early as 2013. So what are the benefits of texting to 911 when you can call, right? According to Verizon, this texting service will benefit those who might be deaf, hard of hearing, or are in situations where speaking on the phone could prove dangerous, i.e. during a home invasion, a robbery at a bank, etc.